Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 34,808, John Edwards Ely, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Ely, John Edwards
NUMBER
S. 34808
CONTENTS

5437. 4
Massachusetts
John Edwards Esq Colo Shepard Private
Massachusetts Line 1776-1783 in the Army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.
inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 17 th of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 th of Jan y 1819 and sent to John Hooker Esq Lodge Springfield Massachusetts
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1818  4 \frac{14}{30} \text{ mos} 38.79 Semi-ann. all'ce ending 4 th Mar 1819 48.00
$ 86.79
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }
Wampden County
3

I Martin Ely of West Springfield in the County of Hampden Commonwealth of Massachusetts testify & say that my brother John Edward Ely left my house in the spring of the year 1775, soon after the Lexington battle, to go to Roxbury. He went as a minute man under Capt. Enoch Chapin of West Springfield aforesaid. Previous to his entering the service, & for a long period after his return, he made my house his home, and I have no recollection of his ever having returned after he left my house to go to Roxbury, till February 1777. In June 1776 I went to New York & was there three days in company with the said John. He was at that time in the company commanded by Capt. Warham Parks, & in the Regiment of which William Shepard was Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel. I have always understood from the said John that he was steadily & uninterruptedly in the public service from some time in April 1775 till February 1777. But he is now advanced in years, & his health & recollection very much impaired.
After his return in Feby 1777. he enlisted under Capt. Hawes, an officer of the United States, and served several years as an artificer in the public works at Springfield. He was employed principally in work at harness, cartridge boxes &c. I know that he worked there at least two years, for I was employed there myself for that length of time. Col. Mason & Major Ayres, at that time, had the charge of the artificers. Martin Ely
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden SS. December 12 th W.P.D. Then the above named Martin Ely personally appeared & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed. And I further certify that I have long been well acquainted with the said Martin Ely, and that he is a man of strict integrity & undoubted veracity.
Samuel Lathrop Justice of the Peace

John Edwards Esq. Private 1776 Shepard's Maf'ts Reg't Admitted
Shepard's Maf'ts. cont. (blank)
I John Hooker within named, do hereby affirm the application with the further testimony of Isaac Mox. Gideon Jones & Martin Ely being answered - and I also certify that I am satisfied that the application as to the lot of the Regiment was mistaken - that Mr Shepard lot was only Lt Colonel in 2 Regiment - but that Eben Learned was Colonel - by the Commission of Warham Parks. There is a fault, it will appear that he was Captain in 1 Colonel Learned , 2nd Regiment & from the evidence it will appear that the applicant was in Capt. Parks company Dec. 21. 1910 John Hooker

I John Edwards Ely a citizen of the United States & a resident in West Springfield in the County of Hampshire in the State of Massachusetts being eighty three years of age do depose & say that soon immediately after Lexington Battle I went with the Militia & served eight months there at Roxbury & then enlisted into the regiment commanded by Col. William Shepard for the term of one year & continued in said service for said term in the army of the revolution for the continental establishment - That I was in the battle at East Glendale when Col. Shepard was wounded - and I remember crossing a river & I was in the battle when some Hessian were taken - & that I was also in the skirmish in Princeton in New Jersey - & that I served nine months more than said one year & after immediately at the end of said year at the urgent request of the officers - I also remember having a written discharge in some part of the war but have lost it - & that I am in reduced circumstances in life & stand in need of assistance from my country for support -
John Edwards Ely
April 17 -
I Peletiah Bliss of West Springfield do depose & say that I have always lived within a few rods of John Ely - That I went with him in the Militia in April 1775 to Roxbury - & knew of his being there from that time for said eight months & for a little more than a year after said eight months - That in the month of Sept 1776 I went in the Militia for three months & went towards New York - That I saw him near Kingsbridge doing service in Col. Wm Shepard's regiment - That I afterwards saw him at White Plains - & another place volunteer hill & several other times where I was there - And I further testify & say that he has often formerly told me the form as he has set forth in his said Affidavit - That he is in some degree broken down with age & infirmity - but possesses a good reputation for honesty & I have no doubt but that he served as stated above in said army as he stated above Sworn to April 17 1818 before me John Hooker
Peletiah Bliss
I Simeon Smith of West Springfield aforesaid do depose & say that in Sept 1776 I went in the Militia for three months & marched towards New York - & that I was with Peletiah Bliss & saw John Ely doing service in Col. Wm Shepard's Regiment as Peletiah has stated above - I knew of his serving for eight months as he has stated at Roxbury - I have always lived near neighbor to John Ely & do not remember that he was at home all over than a year after the end of said months - That he is a man of good reputation, & I have no doubt but that he served as he has stated in his above affidavit -
Simeon Smith
Sworn to before me April 17 1818
John Hooker

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hampshire ss.
B E IT REMEMBERED, That on the seventeenth day of April A. D. 1818, came before me, JOHN HOOKER,
Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Western Circuit in said State, and including the said county of Hampden — the above named
Tom Edwards Ely I applied for the benefit of the laws of Congress entitled An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land & naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war &
made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit, by him subscribed, and hereto annexed. I do thereupon hereby declare, that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said
Tom Edwards Ely the applicant did serve in the revolutionary war, against the common enemy, for more than nine months, on the continental establishment, as set forth in his affidavit aforesaid, and that he is yet a resident citizen of the United States, is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of assistance from his country for support. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal of the said Circuit Court for the said county of Hampden to be affixed hereto, this 17th day of April 1818
John Hooker Chief Justice
I do therefore hereby certify the above & annexed as the testimony of proceedings had before me on the application aforesaid & transmit the same to the Secretary of the department of war of the United States —
John Hooker

I Gideon Jones of West Springfield in the County of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts testify and say that John Edwards Ely was with me in the campaign of 1775 at Roxbury served in the same company commanded by Capt Enoch Chapin Col. Timothy Dannebros Regiment that near the close of the campaign of 1775 before Dr. Roxbury I was knowing that said John Edwards Ely enlisted into the years service by Sergeant Noble Cooley of West Springfield belonging to the regiment of which William Sheppard was Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel
Gideon Jones
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. December 14 1818 Then the above named Gideon Jones personally appeared & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed And I further certify that I have been long well acquainted with the said Gideon Jones and that he is a man of strict integrity and undoubted veracity
Charles Ball Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden ss.
I John Ingersoll Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within & for the County of Hampden do Certify that Charles Ball, Samuel Fowler and Samuel Lathrop Esquires & who signed their names as Justices of the Peace to the several annexed Depositions are now & were each at the time of taking said depositions Justices of the Peace within & for said County & that the several signatures at the proper hand writings of the said Charles Ball, Samuel Fowler & Samuel Lathrop In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & caused the Seal of the County to be hereunto Affixed this twenty first day of December A.D. 1818.
Attest John Ingersoll Clerk

above Bill of Hancock in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts - do testify and say That Same time in the month of January in the year 1777 when in camp at Brimfield Being then a Sergeant in a Company whereof Warham Parker was Captain in Colo. Learned Regiment (William Shepard Lt Colo) a man by the name of Carpenter who was then a Lieutenant in said Parker's Company brought to me who was then doing orderly Serjeant's duty in 3 d Company, a man by the name of John Edwards Ely, as w Springfield to be entered on the descriptive list of 3 d Company. I am now positive that the sd John Edwards Ely served faithfully as a private soldier in 3 d Company until after the retreat of the American army from the island of New York for on the latter part of November of the same year the same Mr Ely was a tent mate with myself untill about the 3 d or 4 th of December at which time the army crossed the Hudson into the Jerseys, the confusion that took place in our march through the Jerseys prevents me (I believe) from identifying Mr Ely in my recollection afterward But from the knowledge I had of Mr Ely's disposition which was faithfully to perform his engagements and to do his duty I have not a doubt remaining but that he served the full term of his engagement, the term of those men was for one year and it expired on the first day of January in the year 1777 and afterwards at Trenton on the 3 d & 4 th day of Jan y those men with the exception of a few who re-enlisted for six weeks left the army and returned home Westfield Dec r 9 th 1818
Joby Bille
Hampden ss Westfield December 8 th 1818 Then personally appeared the above named Joby Bille & made Oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed. I hereby certify that the said Bille removed from here since from the place where I was acquainted with him, he has been a man of good moral character have never heard any thing against him since & I have no doubt but that he now sustains a good moral character Samuel Fowler justice of the peace

34 808
Rey INVALID. over
File No. 34,808
John Edwards Esq Rev Rev Mr
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 484
[Arrangement of 1870.]